Transferring out - need a place to vent

[sirsam]

I don't even know where to begin but just needed a place to vent anonymously. 

I matched one of the most competitive surgical specialties in the country a few years ago.  Match day was probably one of the highest point in my life. 

Sad to say that it has been a steady slope down hill every since. 

Watching my friends from medical school who went through family medicine now starting a family and traveling and enjoying life, I have nothing but regret. 

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love what I do. I love the OR, knowing my field well, being respected as a consultant etc etc. 

But the surgical training and culture are just not compatible with life. 

I've done the 1 in 2 for days in a row, the 7am-7pm call for weeks, all the while having to work on presentations to give at rounds after a grueling day of work. 

I know I need to be looking at life after residency because residency is temporary. But new grads in my field are being asked to do MSc. just to land a job????

My specialty doesn't even pay that well in the public sector. Looking at joining a private practice, the boomer staff take us for fools? 50-60% overhead while making us do all the calls??? 

To start your own private practice costs mid 7 figures and risk pissing off a lot of dinosaurs. 

I wish they were more transparent about these hidden curriculums before the CaRMs match. 

Someone on this forum said, medicine eats its young and it has resonated with me every since. 

I am burnt out and done. 

/rant 

[MedZZZ]

I just wanted to say that I'm so sorry you are in this position. Have you looked at the options for transferring?

[codebar]

Hey,

Are you in Canada?

I'm PGY5 in a surgical speciality. The training is rough and it can be very hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

If you love what you do without a doubt, IMO it would be an error to switch for another field, especially if you are near the end. Personnaly, I can't fathom the tought of adding another year of residency to my life.

I have close friends in family medicine and I can assure you that they are not particularly enjoying their worklife. The grass may appear greener now because it is as a resident but it won't be as staff.

It may help you to speak with your provincial physician health program if you fell burned out. They are not mental health provider but it sure helps to speak with someone outside your inner circle.

Don't give up, it is still worth it.

[Edict]

Talk to some of your friends, when burnt out I spoke with some friends in other specialties and it really helps give you perspective. As long as you can see yourself getting a job in a place that you can tolerate, I would stick it out. 

Also, doing a MSc isn't necessarily the end of the world. Usually, if you take a few years out to do it you get a lot more free time and better WL balance. If you do it concurrently with residency or fellowship, you often don't spend any extra time. 

[lovemedicinesomuch]

On 2/12/2022 at 11:14 AM, sirsam said:

I don't even know where to begin but just needed a place to vent anonymously. 

I matched one of the most competitive surgical specialties in the country a few years ago.  Match day was probably one of the highest point in my life. 

Sad to say that it has been a steady slope down hill every since. 

Watching my friends from medical school who went through family medicine now starting a family and traveling and enjoying life, I have nothing but regret. 

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love what I do. I love the OR, knowing my field well, being respected as a consultant etc etc. 

But the surgical training and culture are just not compatible with life. 

I've done the 1 in 2 for days in a row, the 7am-7pm call for weeks, all the while having to work on presentations to give at rounds after a grueling day of work. 

I know I need to be looking at life after residency because residency is temporary. But new grads in my field are being asked to do MSc. just to land a job????

My specialty doesn't even pay that well in the public sector. Looking at joining a private practice, the boomer staff take us for fools? 50-60% overhead while making us do all the calls??? 

To start your own private practice costs mid 7 figures and risk pissing off a lot of dinosaurs. 

I wish they were more transparent about these hidden curriculums before the CaRMs match. 

Someone on this forum said, medicine eats its young and it has resonated with me every since. 

I am burnt out and done. 

/rant 

Grass is always greener.  There are so many people who wanted surgical specialties and they ended up in FM ( and they are unhappy everyday).  I understand that surgical training and culture is very tough and it is so annoying that you have to do grad degrees to land a job, but it is only few years of misery before you have more autonomy and you will be doing what you love for the rest of your life ( which is a huge privilege). You have made it that far, and you can make it for the remaining years ( you just need to persevere). If your mental health suffering, look out for support or maybe even take 1 mo. leave of absence and return back stronger. It will be totally worth it in the end though.

[JohnGrisham]

On 2/12/2022 at 10:14 AM, sirsam said:

To start your own private practice costs mid 7 figures and risk pissing off a lot of dinosaurs. 

Ophtho?

[gogogo]

6 hours ago, JohnGrisham said:

Ophtho?

I don’t think ophtho has the hours OP described. I was thinking plastics.

[JohnGrisham]

4 hours ago, gogogo said:

I don’t think ophtho has the hours OP described. I was thinking plastics.

ahhh good point, yes plastics would make good sense. Both of them in my area are definitely hampered by the older attendings clamping down on resources..and making new grads their slaves to get OR time, or ++ overhead in their established outpt surgical centres.

[medigeek]

On 2/12/2022 at 5:26 PM, Edict said:

Talk to some of your friends, when burnt out I spoke with some friends in other specialties and it really helps give you perspective. As long as you can see yourself getting a job in a place that you can tolerate, I would stick it out. 

Also, doing a MSc isn't necessarily the end of the world. Usually, if you take a few years out to do it you get a lot more free time and better WL balance. If you do it concurrently with residency or fellowship, you often don't spend any extra time. 

A few years of something you don't really want to do, while being paid peanuts, isn't a good thing. Especially when it's the remaining bits of your prime life. 

[Edict]

21 hours ago, medigeek said:

A few years of something you don't really want to do, while being paid peanuts, isn't a good thing. Especially when it's the remaining bits of your prime life. 

If you really don't want to do plastics then yes don't do it, but he said he still loves what he does.

[shikimate]

OP if you are in plastics feel free to contact myself. Our health authority is actively recruiting multiple plastic surgeons and since remuneration is public, I can say they do very well (not to mention this is just public billing). Also we are a community practice that emphasize the best interests of patients and not pointless academic tapestry, so there is a good chance MSc is not needed for hiring. Looking forward to hearing from you.